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* STARS TURN OUT FOR CURTIS MAYFIELD TRIBUTE
Picture byline DAVID BUCHAN
Words from WENN correspondent MELANIE BROMLEY in Los Angeles
LAURYN HILL, STEVIE WONDER and ERIC CLAPTON jammed in an intimate
Los Angeles church this afternoon (22FEB00) in a personal tribute
to say goodbye to their pal and mentor CURTIS MAYFIELD.
The music heavy-weights turned up at the tiny AMERICAN
METHODIST CHURCH and sang renditions of their favourite Mayfield
hits to 300 of his fans and close family.
The SUPERFLY singer died late last year (26DEC99) after nearly
forty years on top of the charts.
But as Hollywood actor DANNY GLOVER explains, no one felt they
had time to say goodbye to their talented friend, "I met Curtis
once when he was being honoured and I said I am going to come by
and see you.
"And ever since I've said to myself, 'I've got to get back,
I've got to get back,' and for the past two or three years I've
wanted to get back but as always it just didn't happen."
Glover took to the stage to join Lauryn Hill as backing singers
to an Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder duet.
Lauryn Hill choked back the tears to recount how she used to
listen to Mayfield's music when she was growing up and just that
morning had used his music to comfort her.
Stevie Wonder made a rare public appearance for an emotional
rendition of Mayfield's hit GYPSY WOMAN.
The event was marked, by Curtis' wife ALTHEIDA announcing she
was setting up a fund to help African American children realise
a love for music. She says, "I want people who love music to have
the chance to learn about it in Curtis' name. Now I hope they
will get that chance."
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